All work and mind play

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty
English (A) ¬¬¬¬
Director: Ben Stiller
Cast: Ben Stiller, Kirsten Wiig, Sean Penn

Sometimes daydreams become a primary source of comfort and solace. Especially when faced with a threat, like talking to someone attractive or speaking to your boss who is trying to lay you off.

Walter Mitty (Ben Stiller), for 16 years, has worked a corporate job as a negative assets manager at the Life Magazine in New York. With passion as his impetus, his work has made the magazine, but only few acknowledge it. To most, Walter is an awkward man who intermittently falls into unannounced trances and cannot hold a conversation.

When Life Magazine is acquired, employees are getting laid off and Walter’s job is on the line. Star photographer Sean O’Connell (Sean Penn) is one of his few admirers.
One of Sean’s pictures is to be the cover of the magazine’s final edition and Walter is given the responsibility to develop it.

The future looks bleak for him when the negative goes missing. His love interest and co-worker Cheryl Melhoff (Kristen Wiig) helps him put on a brave face and track down the eccentric photographer, who likes to be unreachable and keeps his whereabouts unknown.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, is based on a short story by James Thurber of the same name.

Ben Stiller has broken out of his usual slapstick role in playing a distinguished, spontaneous and imaginative Walter Mitty, leaving no trace of the simple Jack we know from Tropic Thunder.

What’s better is that Ben Stiller has even proven himself as a director.

If Walter Mitty’s daydreams are not unpredictable and entertaining enough, the direction has several unexpected transitions, which is a refreshing change from other movies of the same genre.

Humorous, whimsical and light-hearted, The Secret Life of Walter Mitty leaves you smiling and humming David Bowie’s Space Oddity, so there are few reasons why you should not watch it. However, the movie could have had a faster pace for the restless.

Perhaps, one would have a better movie experience if they don’t try and skip ahead to the finish. If you want to start 2014 watching a feel-good movie, this is the best pick.